SCATV Association donates $10,000 to two ailing kids

Eighth annual poker run marks landmark benefit

By RICHARD A. ROSS

ELDRED, NY - For the eighth straight year, the Sullivan County ATV Association accomplished its mission of raising a sizeable sum for a pair of needy kids. This year’s event, staged on September 9, featured a smaller number of riders than last year, but raised nearly as much money, according to president Ellis Garcia.

The recipients of this year’s donation of $10,000 per family were six-year old Briana Houghtaling of Parksville and eight-month old Daniel Omogbai of Rock Hill.

Both children were born prematurely and suffer from significant medical issues since birth.

Briana is the daughter of Mitchell and Melissa Houghtaling. Brianna spent her first four months at the Albany Medical Center and had a shunt installed to drain fluid from her brain. Following her release from the hospital, she needed to be on oxygen and needed a tube in her stomach to receive food.

These days, however, she is functioning much better, and appears bubbly and full of life. She just started kindergarten at the Liberty Elementary School, where she receives physical, occupational and speech therapy. Her mother runs her back and forth to Albany Medical Center to monitor her ongoing health issues.

Daniel is the son of Jennifer and Timothy Omogbai. Born premature, Daniel weighed only one pound, three ounces at birth. He was in an incubator for three months and suffers from pulmonary hypertension and severe respiratory issues.

Both families expressed their heartfelt thanks to the Sullivan County ATV Association (SCATV), the property owners and people who contributed their time, money and efforts to make the event a success.

At the dinner held at the Eldred Preserve on October 14, SCATV secretary Tony Poli enumerated the countless property owners who permitted the 425 riders to traverse their land. Among those he singled out was Harold Russell of Russell Farms, who arranged for the staging of the event on the fields across from his farm. Poli thanked Douglas Heinle for his work in monitoring traffic, and countless others for their efforts.

Poli noted that the event would not have been possible without the efforts of his wife, Susan, SCATV president Ellis Garcia, vice president Ed Houmann and event founder Michael Cooper. Ryan and Doug Frasier were commended for their food preparation and party master D.J. Perry Gipps for the use of his sound system and music.

After speeches by Poli and Garcia, the families were called up to receive this year’s donation. Jennifer Omogbai was nearly overcome with emotion. “On behalf of Daniel, I just want to thank everyone,” she said tearfully. Melissa Houghtaling was rendered nearly speechless by the sizeable donation. “I want to thank everyone for thinking of Briana in this way,” she said.

For more about this year’s SCATV Charity Poker Run, visit riverreporter.com and go back to the September 7 and September 14 issues. A photo album can be seen by visiting the September 14 article online.